NORWAY - Europe by Eurail 2015: Touring Europe by Train - page 432

bus. If you prefer a taxi, you will find a taxi stand on your right when leaving the
station.
Within the Hedmark Museum boundaries is the Hamardomen, enclosing the re-
mains of a medieval cathedral built in 1152. Designed by architect Kjell Lund of
Lund & Slaatto Arkitekter, Ltd., and completed in 1998, the glass-and-steel pro-
tective enclosure is a unique architectural and technical masterpiece. It is climate
controlled to prevent any further deterioration of the cathedral's remains. The ru-
ins reveal that it was one of the most magnificent churches in Scandinavia. History
proves that the town of Hamar suffered along with the demise of the stately church.
Years of civil strife and the Reformation nearly wiped out what was once a thriving
city.
It was not until 1849 that Hamar once again enjoyed the status and charter of a
town. Marking this return to status, the current Hamar Cathedral, replacing its me-
dieval predecessor, was built in 1886.
The museum area also includes 40 buildings from the county of Hedmark. Most
of them date from the 15th to the 18th centuries. One unusual building, the house
of a Norwegian emigrant, was built in North Dakota in 1871 and moved to the mu-
seum in 1973.
The Hamarstua Restaurant, on the museum grounds, is open for business
from mid-May through mid-September each year. From mid-June through mid-
August, the museum is open from 1000 to 1700 daily. During the balance of the
year, it is open for groups by appointment, and 1000-1600 Tuesday-Sunday. Visit
www.hedmarksmuseet.no .
The railway museum rivals anything the Disney folks have come up with to
date. If you are a railroad buff, don't miss this stop. Included in its collection of
rolling stock are the old royal train, several “stagecoach” types, and even an old
fourth-class (or, shall we say, no-class) wagon—without seats. Norway's first rail-
way station is among the many buildings found on the 7½-acre tract covered by the
museum. Hours: mid-August-June: 1100-1500, closed Monday; July-mid-August:
1000-1700. Visit www.norsk-jernbanemuseum.no .